The present invention relates to a photographic processing apparatus, a film hold-down mechanism in a photographic processing apparatus, and a method of reading and writing magnetic record data on a photographic film.
In a common photographic processing apparatus, a photographic film is accessed for reading a magnetic record data stored thereon or writing such a data thereto while the film is being securely pressed against a magnetic head by a hold-down means. To facilitate the reading and writing at a high accuracy, it is necessary to have the film held as closely as possible to the magnetic head.
In the prior art it is known that a film A, while passing beside a magnetic head b, is pressed against the magnetic head b by a hold-down member c which is made of a felt material and located opposite to the magnetic head b, as shown in FIG. 8.
Unfortunately, the felt hold-down member c tends to block and store considerable amounts of dirt and dust which are carried on the film A.
Accordingly, the film itself may be injured by the dirt and dust on the hold-down member. Also, if the hold-down member c is pressed against the magnetic head b by a high pressing force for optimum tightness, it may be difficult to advance the film between the magnetic head b and the hold-down member c or the film may become trapped therebetween.
It is an object of the present invention, in view of the foregoing direction, to provide improvements in a photographic processing apparatus, a film hold-down mechanism in a photographic processing apparatus, and a method of reading and writing magnetic record data on a photographic film. This improvements are characterized in that a magnetic head is free from blocking and storing of amounts of dirt and dust, that a photographic film to be transferred is prevented from being injured, that a record data can be accurately be read from and written onto the film, that the film can easily be inserted between the magnetic head and a hold-down because the pressing of the hold-down mechanism the magnetic head is controllable, and that a magnetic record data can be read from and written onto the film with ease.